Vietnamese Lemongrass Pork Rice Bowl (Cơm Thịt Nướng)

Name: Vietnamese Lemongrass Pork Rice Bowl (Cơm Thịt Nướng)
Prep time: 45 min
Cook time: 25 min
Total time: 1 h 10 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: Vietnamese
Ingredients: 1½ lb (680 g) boneless pork shoulder (pork butt), trimmed of thick fat, sliced against the grain ¼ inch (6 mm) thick into pieces about 2×3 inches (5×7 cm); 4 stalks lemongrass stalks, outer layers peeled, tender bottom 5 inches (13 cm) only, very finely minced (about ⅓ cup / 40 g); 4 cloves (20 g) garlic, peeled and minced; 2 small (60 g) shallots, peeled and finely minced; 3 tbsp (45 ml) fish sauce; 2 tbsp (25 g) granulated sugar; 1 tbsp (15 ml) soy sauce; 2 tbsp (30 ml) neutral oil (vegetable or canola); 1 tsp (2 g) freshly ground black pepper; 2 cups (370 g) jasmine rice, rinsed in cold water until the water runs nearly clear, then drained well; 2½ cups (590 ml) water, cold; ½ tsp (3 g) kosher salt; 2 medium (200 g) medium carrots, peeled and cut into matchsticks about 2 inches (5 cm) long and ⅛ inch (3 mm) thick; ½ cup (120 ml) unseasoned rice vinegar; ½ cup (120 ml) warm water, warm tap water; 2 tbsp (25 g) granulated sugar; 1 tsp (6 g) kosher salt; 3 tbsp (45 ml) fish sauce; 3 tbsp (45 ml) fresh lime juice, from about 2 limes; 2 tbsp (25 g) granulated sugar; ⅓ cup (80 ml) warm water, warm tap water; 1 clove (5 g) garlic, peeled and finely minced; 1 chile (3 g) Thai bird's eye chile, thinly sliced (optional); 1 medium (about 10 oz) (300 g) English cucumber, cut into thin half-moons ⅛ inch (3 mm) thick; ½ cup (15 g) fresh cilantro, leaves and tender stems, roughly chopped; ½ cup (10 g) fresh mint, leaves picked, torn if large; 3 scallions (45 g) scallions, thinly sliced (green and white parts); ¼ cup (35 g) roasted unsalted peanuts, coarsely chopped (optional)

From the MyKitchenBank Kitchen

Thin slices of pork shoulder soaked in a fragrant lemongrass, garlic and fish sauce marinade, grilled until caramelized at the edges, then piled over fluffy jasmine rice with crunchy quick-pickled carrots, cool cucumber, fresh herbs and a tangy-sweet nước chấm dipping sauce.

Prep: 45 min
Cook: 25 min
Wait: 2 hr 10 min
Total: 3 hr 20 min
Makes: 4 generous rice bowls

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Ingredients

4 servings

For the pork
1½ lb (680 g) boneless pork shoulder (pork butt), trimmed of thick fat, sliced against the grain ¼ inch (6 mm) thick into pieces about 2×3 inches (5×7 cm)
4 stalks lemongrass stalks, outer layers peeled, tender bottom 5 inches (13 cm) only, very finely minced (about ⅓ cup / 40 g)
4 cloves (20 g) garlic, peeled and minced
2 small (60 g) shallots, peeled and finely minced
3 tbsp (45 ml) fish sauce
2 tbsp (25 g) granulated sugar
1 tbsp (15 ml) soy sauce
2 tbsp (30 ml) neutral oil (vegetable or canola)
1 tsp (2 g) freshly ground black pepper
For the rice
2 cups (370 g) jasmine rice, rinsed in cold water until the water runs nearly clear, then drained well
2½ cups (590 ml) water, cold
½ tsp (3 g) kosher salt
For the quick-pickled carrots
2 medium (200 g) medium carrots, peeled and cut into matchsticks about 2 inches (5 cm) long and ⅛ inch (3 mm) thick
½ cup (120 ml) unseasoned rice vinegar
½ cup (120 ml) warm water, warm tap water
2 tbsp (25 g) granulated sugar
1 tsp (6 g) kosher salt
For the nước chấm sauce
3 tbsp (45 ml) fish sauce
3 tbsp (45 ml) fresh lime juice, from about 2 limes
2 tbsp (25 g) granulated sugar
⅓ cup (80 ml) warm water, warm tap water
1 clove (5 g) garlic, peeled and finely minced
1 chile (3 g) Thai bird's eye chile, thinly sliced (optional)
For serving
1 medium (about 10 oz) (300 g) English cucumber, cut into thin half-moons ⅛ inch (3 mm) thick
½ cup (15 g) fresh cilantro, leaves and tender stems, roughly chopped
½ cup (10 g) fresh mint, leaves picked, torn if large
3 scallions (45 g) scallions, thinly sliced (green and white parts)
¼ cup (35 g) roasted unsalted peanuts, coarsely chopped (optional)

Equipment (9)

Outdoor charcoal or gas grill, or a heavy cast-iron grill pan or skillet (12-inch / 30 cm)
Large mixing bowl (4-quart / 4-liter)
Medium saucepan with tight-fitting lid (2- to 3-quart / 2- to 3-liter)
Fine-mesh strainer for rinsing rice
1-pint (500 ml) jar or small bowl for pickling
Sharp chef's knife and cutting board
Tongs
Instant-read thermometer
Food processor or mortar and pestle (optional, for the paste)

Steps

Before you start

Plan on at least 2 hours of marinating time; the pork is best marinated 4–12 hours and can go up to 24 hours.
Slice the pork thinly (about ¼ inch / 6 mm) against the grain. Chilling the pork in the freezer for 20–30 minutes first makes slicing much easier.
Use only the pale, tender bottom 5 inches (13 cm) of each lemongrass stalk; the woody upper green part is too tough to eat.
Start the pickled carrots while the pork marinates so they are ready when you cook.
Open a window or turn on your vent fan: grilling sugary marinade on a stovetop grill pan makes some smoke.

1
Make lemongrass paste
- Trim and peel the lemongrass, then mince only the tender bottom 5 inches (13 cm) as finely as you can; you should have about ⅓ cup (40 g).
- Add the minced lemongrass, garlic, and shallots to a large bowl.
- For an even finer texture, pulse them in a food processor into a coarse paste, scraping down the sides.
- Stir in the fish sauce, sugar, soy sauce, oil, and black pepper until the sugar is mostly dissolved.
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Ready when: Marinade smells strongly of lemongrass and the sugar no longer feels gritty when stirred.
Tip: Mince lemongrass very fine. Large pieces are fibrous and unpleasant to chew in the finished bowl.
2
Marinate the pork
- Add the sliced pork to the bowl and massage the marinade into every piece with your hands for 1 minute so each slice is coated.
- Cover tightly or transfer to a zip-top bag, pressing out the air.
- Refrigerate for at least 2 hours, ideally 4–12 hours, turning the pork once halfway through if you can.
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Ready when: Pork looks evenly coated with flecks of lemongrass and has a glossy, slightly darker surface.
Tip: Do not marinate longer than 24 hours; the fish sauce will start to make the meat cured and firm.
3
Quick-pickle the carrots
- While the pork marinates, stir the rice vinegar, warm water, sugar, and salt in a 1-pint (500 ml) jar or bowl until the sugar and salt dissolve completely.
- Add the carrot matchsticks and press them down so they are submerged.
- Let stand at room temperature for at least 30 minutes, or refrigerate for up to 2 weeks.
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Ready when: Carrots bend slightly without snapping and taste tangy, lightly sweet, and still crunchy.
4
Mix the nước chấm
- In a small bowl, stir together the fish sauce, lime juice, sugar, and warm water until the sugar dissolves.
- Stir in the minced garlic and the sliced chile, if using.
- Taste it: it should be balanced between salty, sweet, and sour.
- Add another teaspoon of sugar or lime juice if needed.
- Set aside at room temperature.
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Ready when: Sugar is fully dissolved and the sauce tastes bright, salty-sweet, and tangy.
Tip: Use warm water so the sugar dissolves fast. The sauce will taste strong on its own, which is right because it gets spooned over plain rice.
5
Prep the toppings
- Slice the cucumber into thin half-moons, chop the cilantro, pick the mint leaves, slice the scallions, and coarsely chop the peanuts, if using.
- Keep each in a separate pile or small bowl so the bowls are easy to assemble.
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Tip: Cover the herbs with a damp paper towel if you are prepping them more than 30 minutes ahead.
6
Cook the jasmine rice
- About 40 minutes before you want to eat, combine the rinsed and drained rice, cold water, and salt in a medium saucepan.
- Bring to a boil over high heat, stir once, then reduce the heat to low, cover tightly, and cook without lifting the lid for 15 minutes.
- Remove from the heat and let the rice steam, still covered, for 10 minutes.
- Fluff with a fork.
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Ready when: All the water is absorbed, small steam holes show on the surface, and the grains are tender, separate, and fluffy.
Tip: Resist lifting the lid; escaping steam leads to unevenly cooked, crunchy rice.
7
Heat the grillOven 500°F / 260°C
- Remove the pork from the refrigerator 15 minutes before cooking.
- Heat a charcoal or gas grill to high (450–500°F / 230–260°C), or heat a cast-iron grill pan over high heat for 5 minutes until very hot.
- Scrape the grates clean.
- Lift the pork from the bowl, letting excess marinade drip off, but leave the bits of lemongrass clinging to the meat.
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Ready when: Water droplets flicked on the pan sizzle and vanish immediately; hand held 4 inches above the grates feels very hot.
Tip: Do not pat off the lemongrass bits; they toast on the surface and carry the flavor. Excess liquid, however, causes flare-ups.
8
Grill the pork
- Lay the pork slices on the grill in a single layer without crowding; work in 2 batches if needed.
- Grill for 2–3 minutes per side, flipping once, until the edges are charred and caramelized and the pork reaches an internal temperature of 145°F (63°C).
- The sugar in the marinade will darken quickly, so watch closely and move any darkening pieces to a cooler spot.
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Ready when: Deep golden-brown with dark charred spots at the edges; juices run clear and an instant-read thermometer reads 145°F (63°C).
Tip: Thin slices cook fast. Overcooking makes shoulder meat dry, so pull it as soon as it is charred and firm.
9
Rest the pork
- Transfer the grilled pork to a clean plate and loosely cover with foil for 3 minutes so the juices redistribute.
- Drain the pickled carrots briefly.
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Ready when: Pork is steaming gently and juices have stopped running on the plate.
10
Assemble the bowls
- Divide the rice among 4 wide bowls.
- Arrange the grilled pork, cucumber slices, and drained pickled carrots on top in neat sections.
- Scatter with cilantro, mint, scallions, and peanuts.
- Spoon about 2 tablespoons of nước chấm over the rice and pork in each bowl, and pass the rest at the table so everyone can add more.
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Ready when: Bowls look colorful with the rice lightly moistened by sauce.
Tip: Serve immediately while the pork is hot and the cucumbers are cold for the best contrast.

Good to know

Tips

Slice the pork across the grain and no thicker than ¼ inch (6 mm) so it chars before it dries out.
Do not skip the sugar: it creates the signature caramelized, slightly sticky crust on the grill.
Cooking indoors? Use a cast-iron skillet over high heat and cook in small batches so the pan stays hot and the pork browns rather than steams.
Add a fried egg, fresh lettuce leaves, or sliced tomato to turn this into a more traditional cơm tấm-style plate.

Make ahead

Marinate the pork up to 24 hours ahead. The pickled carrots keep in the fridge for up to 2 weeks and the nước chấm for up to 1 week (add the chile and garlic fresh if you prefer). Rice can be cooked up to 2 days ahead and reheated.

Storage & reheating

Room temperature: serve within 2 hours of cooking. Refrigerator: store cooked pork, rice, and toppings separately in airtight containers for up to 3 days. Freezer: raw marinated pork freezes for up to 3 months (thaw overnight in the fridge); cooked pork freezes for 2 months. Reheat pork in a skillet over medium heat for 2–3 minutes per side until hot throughout (165°F / 74°C), and reheat rice covered in the microwave with 1 tablespoon of water per cup until steaming.

Substitutions

boneless pork shoulder (pork butt) → boneless, skinless chicken thighs. Pound to an even ¾-inch (2 cm) thickness and grill 4–5 minutes per side until the internal temperature reaches 165°F (74°C). Pork loin works too but dries out more easily.
lemongrass stalks → jarred or frozen minced lemongrass. Use about 3 tablespoons of paste; flavor is a little milder than fresh.
fish sauce → light soy sauce plus an extra pinch of salt. For the marinade only; the flavor is less funky but still tasty. Keep fish sauce for the nước chấm if possible.
jasmine rice → broken rice or short-grain white rice. Broken rice is the traditional choice; use the same amount of rice and water.